Turning around and seeking some of that money because of your own wishes.

U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi of suburban Columbus is among more than a dozen Republican lawmakers who criticized Obama's economic stimulus plan, then turned around and quietly sought money from the plan, according to a blistering story today in the Washington Times.

(Time out to repeat: This was an expose by the Washington Times, which is hardly a bastion of left-wing ideologues.)

Tiberi wasn't necessarily the worst offender, if you consider this an offense. But ethics watchdogs had a problem with the whole lot of these critics. Melanie Sloan, executive director of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told the Times, "It's not illegal to talk out of both sides of your mouth, but it does seem to be a level of dishonesty troubling to the American public."

In October, Tiberi complained that the stimulus package bill was "loaded with Nancy Pelosi's grab bag of big spending wishes" and that it "saddles future generations with mountains of debt," the Times reported.

Yet Tiberi "struck a different tone in a letter" to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the newspaper said.

Here's what Tiberi wrote in his letter:

"While this project is intended to expand rural broadband in Alaska, I understand that the project could support businesses and jobs in communities across the country." He cited one such company in his district, according to the Times.

Tiberi spokeswoman Breann Gonzalez told the newspaper that her boss was just fighting for jobs in his district.

"Congressman Tiberi didn't support the stimulus bill, but when it comes down to parts of the bill that are actually going to support jobs, he's going to come down on the side of supporting businesses and Ohio jobs," she said.

Tiberi's office told The Plain Dealer that with his letter, the congressman was trying to help C.O.W. Industries, of Columbus. C.O.W. manufactures customized precision metal products. Founded in 1911 as Central Ohio Welding, the employee-owned company now has an 80,000-square-foot building and -- this is part of its online pitch -- 43 nonunion associates.

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